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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24571258">At the End With You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hideeho/pseuds/hideeho'>hideeho</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys In Love, Buddie First Kiss Week 2020, Happy Ending, M/M, Prompt: Because They Think They're About to Die, Protective Eddie, Tension</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:01:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,549</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24571258</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hideeho/pseuds/hideeho</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Why is it that I’m always the one getting pinned,” Buck groans, voice muffled beneath his mask as his hands do little to lift the beam on top of him. “And why is it never in the fun way?”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>915</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>9-1-1 Tales</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>At the End With You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ten minutes, guys. Give us ten minutes and we will find a way to get to you,” Cap promises over the radio. </p>
<p>They don’t have ten minutes. </p>
<p>“Why is it that I’m always the one getting pinned,” Buck groans, voice muffled beneath his mask as his hands do little to lift the beam on top of him. “And why is it never in the fun way?” </p>
<p>Eddie lets out a sound that may be a laugh. Perhaps it’s a sob. He doesn’t suppose it matters, they’re going to die here either way. </p>
<p>It’s a newer house, cheaply made and the materials had gone up as if they’d been doused in accelerant. The structure is too far gone, but there is still a kid missing. They couldn’t just abandon a kid. Only a support beam had come down right on top of Buck, debris raining down on top of them as the collapse pinned them in. </p>
<p>Buck’s PASS device sounds angrily, the piercing shrill at full alarm. He knows, okay? He knows how bad this is. He’s fucking trying. </p>
<p>He hadn’t left a man behind in Afghanistan and he wasn’t about to start now. He’d risked life and limb and they weren’t even— They weren’t Buck. </p>
<p>Even if he could find a way out, he isn’t going to leave him here to burn alive alone. </p>
<p>If they’re lucky the smoke will get them before the flames do. </p>
<p>Eddie screams in frustration as his next attempt to free Buck fails. He can’t spare the oxygen, but he doesn’t care. The beam is too heavy against Buck’s stomach. He could have a broken ribs or internal bleeding, but none of that matters <i>if he can’t get him out</i>. </p>
<p>He can’t get the angle right. He’s not strong enough. He’s not smart enough. </p>
<p>It’s going to get Buck killed. </p>
<p>The smoke is getting thicker, the flames hotter as they lick closer. </p>
<p>He wonders how much longer until the sweat drenching his body turns to steam. </p>
<p>“Eddie. <i>Eddie</i>,” comes the gasp, thick and muffled from behind his mask. Eddie leans down beside him instantly, pressing his face closer to hear him above the roar of the inferno. “It’s time for you to go. You can find a way out. Maybe—”</p>
<p>“<i>No</i>.” </p>
<p>“Eddie…”</p>
<p>“Fuck. You,” he bites, eyes wet and bleary behind his mask. </p>
<p>“This is hardly the time or the place,” Buck retorts, and although Eddie can’t see his expression he knows he’s smirking. </p>
<p>His best friend is dying and he’s flirting with him. He’d strangle him if it wouldn’t defeat the whole point of rescuing him. </p>
<p>“I don’t go anywhere without you. Now shut up so I can think.”</p>
<p>“Eddie, my oxygen is running out. I’m out of time.” He must have been sucking in more air as a result of the beam. Shallow breaths that used up his tank. </p>
<p>He has to do something. He knows he has to do something. He just needs a little more time. </p>
<p>He ignores everything he has ever been taught to rip off his mask, going to replace Buck’s with his own. Buck struggles against him in earnest, eyes wide as he tries to force Eddie’s hands away. </p>
<p>“Take it, Buck. <i>Take it</i>,” he pleads, telling himself the renewed sting in his eyes is from the sudden onslaught of heat and smoke against his now exposed face. </p>
<p>His mind supplies the risks: breathing in cancerous fumes, smoke inhalation…</p>
<p>It won’t matter soon. </p>
<p>“Eddie, listen to me, okay? Listen to me,” he urges, hands fisted into his uniform to drag him roughly to him. “You can still make it out. Christopher <i>needs</i> you.” </p>
<p>“He needs you. <i>I</i> need you. Don’t ask me to leave,” he chokes, crying freely now as he presses his palms against Buck’s face. “I can’t leave you.” </p>
<p>He can’t walk away from him. He’s not strong enough. </p>
<p>“You stubborn asshole,” Buck bites, eyes wide with fear. “Don’t die because of me. I’ll never forgive you.” </p>
<p>“Yeah? Well I’ll never forgive you for dying on me.” It’s petty and cruel. Buck is the one literally stuck. He regrets it as soon as he says it, but he can’t walk away from someone he loves. </p>
<p>If that means watching him die...well it wouldn’t be the first time he has had to watch someone he loves die in front of him. </p>
<p>It’s better than the alternative. </p>
<p>He has been left behind. He’s not going to do that to Buck.</p>
<p>He presses his mask against Buck’s face, growling in frustration when he fails to see the tell tale breath against the mask. He’s holding his fucking breath. Refusing to accept the oxygen given to him. </p>
<p>“We share, okay? We share or we both go without.” </p>
<p>Buck looks like he’s still going to protest, but Eddie takes a quick breath before placing the mask back on his face. Buck takes a breath and his relief is instant.</p>
<p>They’re going to go through the rest of his tank quicker this way, but he doesn’t know what else to do. </p>
<p>The roof creaks ominously above them. For a brief moment Eddie is tempted to throw himself over Buck, but that’s the selfish option. It would be far more merciful to let something crash down on Buck’s head, to spare him from choking on smoke as his lungs burn from the inside out or wait for the flames to peel back his skin. </p>
<p>“God damn it, Eddie. Why won’t you just leave? I want you to leave.” </p>
<p>“Tough shit, I’m not going anywhere.” </p>
<p>“You stubborn bastard.”</p>
<p>“Pot. Kettle.”</p>
<p>A silence falls between them, leaving only the crackling of wood and plaster and the piercing ring of the PASS device.</p>
<p>“Do you think they found that little girl?”</p>
<p>“I hope so,” Eddie sighs, knowing they should conserve their breath. Only he doesn’t have it in him to fight. It’s delaying the inevitable, that’s all. </p>
<p>“I don’t really want you to leave,” Buck says softly, his voice wet. He’s crying. Eddie reaches down to trail the path of his tears, leaving a streak of soot and dirt in his wake. </p>
<p>Buck’s pretty, even like this.</p>
<p>Especially like this, maybe. In these final moments when it’s just them. </p>
<p>“I just want you to live,” Buck finishes, wincing with the coughs that wrack his body. </p>
<p>“I know,” Eddie soothes, bending down to press his lips against Buck’s birthmark. He’s always wanted to do that; might as well steal the moment now. </p>
<p>“Eddie, I...You should know…”</p>
<p>“I love you,” Eddie blurts, needing to get it out there. Buck always jumped first. Always laid himself open and bare. If he can’t save him, he should at least be the one to make the leap. “I should have told you sooner.”</p>
<p>Buck smiles so widely, bright teeth a beacon in the hell around them. “You’re telling me now,” he assures him, and of course he is trying to assure <i>him</i> even now. “I love you. I’ve loved you for so long.” </p>
<p>Buck is struggling to prop himself up, wincing in pain as the movement jostles his wounds. Eddie gently presses him down, moving to lay on the ground beside him. </p>
<p>He kisses him; tastes the bitter mixture of smoke, sweat and tears. </p>
<p>Nothing has ever tasted so sweet. </p>
<p>It’s a gentle kiss. Soft and slow. So at odds against their surroundings. This isn’t a kiss of desperation, it’s a kiss of coming home. </p>
<p>“I,” <i>kiss</i> “love,” <i>kiss</i> “you,” <i>kiss</i>. Eddie runs his hand through Buck’s hair, lungs aching as his heart pounds in his chest.</p>
<p>“I love you too, Eds. More than you’ll ever know.” They don’t bother with the oxygen mask anymore, holding onto each other tighter as the ominous creaking above them grows.</p>
<p>He thinks of Chris. He thinks of Buck. He thinks of all of them together. </p>
<p>He only hopes his son can forgive him. That one day he meets someone and he understands. </p>
<p>The sounds of crashing comes from beside him and he flinches against the noise, instinctively moving to cover Buck’s body with his own. </p>
<p>“Why the hell are your masks off,” Cap barks, yanking Eddie up with a force that surprises him. Suddenly there are three other firefighters, each working to free Buck. </p>
<p>He finds himself being pushed back, but that’s all wrong. Not until—</p>
<p>“Hen, take him outside. Drag him out if you have to. We’ve got him. Now <i>go</i>,” Cap orders, shoving him towards the exit. </p>
<p>The fresh air hits him as they stumble outside and his lungs scream. Someone is placing an oxygen mask on his face, but he doesn’t want it. He wants Buck, he wants—</p>
<p>And just like that he’s there, a flurry of medics checking him over. </p>
<p>They’re out. They’re out. They actually made it out. </p>
<p>It’s worth the reaming Cap gives them for ignoring protocol. </p>
<p>“Cap,” Buck pleads, using his biggest puppy dog eyes at his pseudo father. “The smoke inhalation wasn’t even that bad! If I was breathless it was because this guy finally kissed me,” he teases, cocksure as always. </p>
<p>The sigh Cap releases could topple a building. </p>
<p>“You’re both idiots. The paperwork will be ready for you when you get back to work.” </p>
<p>If Eddie didn’t know any better, he’d say Cap was smiling as he huffed out the room.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for reading! Comments and Kudos are love!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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